Moral Compass
by Pixel Petal
Summary: The battle between light and dark is constant, balance tipping in favor of one or the other since time began. It is easy to think of physical combat, but the worst of struggles are those from within. Feelings can change in the blink of an eye. {Multiple perspectives}{Reader-Insert}{Ventus/Reader, hints of Reader/Vanitas here and there}
1. Humiliation

_I'm just going to say this here and now so I don't get complaints later: __This is focused mostly on the reader's character development than on the actual romance aspect of the story. This short series will be in 100 word limit format for each chapter, based around one emotion per chapter. Some will be the emotion itself, while others may be the opposite of the given emotion. Some may be vague, others may be blatantly obvious. These will follow the plot of Kingdom Hearts BBS, but with a slight Alternate Universe element to it. (As any Reader Insert story, I suppose.)_

_That all being said, I do not own Kingdom Hearts, nor the characters related to it._

* * *

Fists clenched tightly at your sides.

Eyes shot an acidic stare at your feet.

You were paralyzed on the spot in absolute mortification, self-loathing pulsing through you with every erratic heartbeat.

You had failed the test yet again, and in front of Ventus to boot.

Blood rushed to your face at the thought.

It didn't help that your tutor, Xehanort, stared down upon you with chastising disappointment.

He waved you away silently.

Speechless, you bowed low and shuffled out of the room, keen on avoiding the blue eyes that stared after you with concern.


	2. Despair

The blonde went unnoticed as he approached your huddled form.

Your face buried itself into your knees, Keyblade laying askew in the dirt.

"Don't be so hard on yourself." He took a cautious seat next to you as he spoke.

Your face jerked up from it's perch.

"I've failed twice!" The harsh cry was met with a sympathetic grin.

"You'll pass next time."

Ventus' smile suddenly hardened into fierce determination.

"But not if you don't stop moping and train harder!"

He stood, dragging you along to retrieve your blade, leaving no time for depressing thoughts.


	3. Revenge

Pleas for one last chance fell on deaf ears.

Xehanort had renounced his position as your mentor. You were replaced by the boy you once called "friend".

Struggling to push your rage aside, you decided that this was just a minor set-back.

You would master your blade and he would beg for forgiveness, as would Ventus for his deceit.

He must have been planting thoughts in Xehanort's head behind your back the entire time.

Why else would your master break his oath?

That night you vacated the world, unknowing of the dark seed Xehanort had planted.


	4. Gratitude

Eraqus picked you up where Xehanort dropped you.

It had taken you months to convince him, and quite a bit of nagging on top of that, but he finally accepted your request to train under him on the side.

Despite his obvious reluctance, you practically pounced the man and constricted him like a python.

He stiffened, unused to the informal gesture, patting your arm absently in what was meant to be dismissive comfort.

"I won't let you down! I swear!"

You were bounding out of the hall before Eraqus could even blink, giddy butterflies fluttering about in your stomach.


	5. Pity

You watched on agitated, unmoving when Terra beckoned Aqua and yourself to come down.

Ventus glanced upward at you two, temporarily quelling the fiery anger.

He looked dead, lackluster eyes distant. The Masters climbed up the steps, just within earshot.

"-hate asking this of you, but I fear for his health."

"It is no problem, old friend. I wi-"

A loud wail drew your attention back to the trio below.

Ventus had collapsed to the floor. Terra panicked, babbling to Eraqus.

"Ventus cannot tell you anything...

because he cannot remember anything."

Pity rushed through your veins, temporarily dowsing the flames.


	6. Curiosity

An unknown figure stood just down the hall, featureless from head to toe.

You glared suspiciously.

"Who are you?"

He remained leaning coolly against the wall.

"A curious onlooker." His tone remained even, an underlying taunt in his voice.

"Just wanted to see what was with the fascination."

Keyblade summoned, you took on an intimidating stance.

"Is that a riddle? Reveal your motives or leave."

Hands raised defensively, he stood straight with a chuckle. "Settle down."

He sauntered down the hall towards you, murmuring as he passed by, "I understand the attraction now."


	7. Doubt

Uncertainty took a prompt seat in his heart and mind when it came to {Name}.

Something rang familiar in those {e/c} eyes, but his head throbbed every time he tried to remember.

That familiarity drew him to her, like a moth to flame.

"Want to help me try a new move, {Name}?"

Even though she smiled enthusiastically, he couldn't push away the feeling that something caliginous hid beneath the mask.

She always hit just a little too hard, always became a little too involved during just their training sessions together.

Why would she be dishonest with him alone?


	8. Pride

"I thought you'd have better stance by now, seeing that your aren't really a rookie anymore."

You grumbled incoherently at the boy lounging on your bed, kicking aside your shoes.

"Well, Mr. High'nMighty I thought you'd have something better to do than-"

You looked up, shocked to find an unmasked face grinning mischievously at you.

"-harass young girls."

He rolled his amber eyes. "Don't flatter yourself. I just come here to feel better about myself."

Heat rushed up your neck and gathered in your cheeks.

"Conceited bastard!"


	9. Jealousy

Your self-confidence drained as Ventus exhausted Eraqus' attention.

Once again, he would boot you out of the nest.

Eyes watched the blonde speak with Eraqus from your window, hoping to burn holes through him.

Something shuffled behind you, grabbing your attention.

You twisted around, coming face to face with a strange creature.

"Keep that up and you'll turn green."

And the mysterious boy from the hall standing behind you.

A dismissive wave of your hand did nothing to dissuade his taunting, causing him to chuckle instead.

You were too upset to care for his shenanigans, or his pets.


	10. Adoration

A lone Flood twitched and skittered closer.

You'd found yourself growing fond of their company and, oddly enough, their master.

He unwittingly distracted you from the mental whirlwind of angry, befuddled thoughts that plagued you, allowing you a moments peace.

His visits were far and few between, but you felt that a sort of kinship had formed between you; a mutual understanding of sorts.

"Wouldn't it be funny if I let it eat you?"

You could hear the mischievous grin in his voice.

Your bond did nothing to stop his obnoxious taunting.

"Not in the slightest."


	11. Lust

The darkness incarnate was no stranger to sinister emotions, but as he tuned Xehanort's ramblings out his mind began to wander into unknown territory.

Something more than the pungent darkness within her had drawn him, something he was not akin to.

With each daydream, his thoughts plunged further than the previous.

What did her skin feel like?

Teeth just barely grazing flesh, earning a soft noise of approval.

A vision of her naked form.

{E/C} casting a wanton gaze at him as he-

"Are you listening to me, boy?"

Vanitas scowled within his helm.

Foiled once again.


	12. Frustration

"You made the Master abandon me. You were my friend and you stabbed me in the back!"

"What are you talking about?" Ventus winced, clutching at his temples.

"Of course, you don't remember. Our friendship was just a farce."

{Name} glared accusingly at him. A hazy image of that same glare flashed in his mind.

So he _did_ know her before.

"I don't know what you're talking about. {Name}, I'd never do that." He frowned, irked with his hazy memories.

"You're still my friend. I'd never hurt you. I'll prove it to you."


	13. Joy

He was gone; left the world to chase Terra.

A twisted happiness swelled within you the moment he took flight.

Eraqus turned to you.

Worry furrowed his brow.

"{Name}, I know you are not officially under my wing, you owe me nothing, but I wish for you to accompany Aqua."

Refusals bubbled in your throat, but his desperate expression stopped you; an expression only a distressed parent could make.

You hadn't the heart to refuse him, despite your vendetta against Ventus.

Eraqus was just a civilian in your personal war.

Nodding, you followed Aqua, jovial mood effectively squashed.


	14. Trust

"I hope Ven's okay."

You glanced at Aqua's worry-creased face.

"He's still just a kid. I don't know what I'd do if something happened to him."

She fell silent for a moment. "It hurt so bad, waiting for him to come out of that comatose state."

Your grudge felt increasingly childish in the face of such unselfish caring.

"{Name}, promise me you'll look after him if something were to happen to me."

You wanted to ask about Terra, but her eyes said everything.

She entrusted you with his life.

"I promise."


	15. Loneliness

You felt more isolated than ever before.

Aqua's words, stale emotions, Xehanort's disappointed face; all of it resounded inside your head and lead to the image of one stupid blonde boy.

You wanted to hate him, to curse his name, but the fire wasn't there.

Instead, you felt strangely hollow.

It seemed that no matter where you were, you didn't fit.

Was everyone else at fault, or was the fault your own?

One glance at Aqua made your decision clear.

You didn't want to live in anger anymore.

You didn't want to be alone.


	16. Longing

Aqua extended her hand to him, smiling, encouraging him to come with the two of you.

He glanced between her and you, wincing slightly when he met your unfriendly gaze.

Why was he being so childish?

You fought the urge to simply knock him unconscious and drag him along.

Aqua would likely intervene, anyway.

She had already turned down the idea when you mentioned it once before.

Instead, you watched as Ventus turned down her offer and ran away, fleeing down the corridor.

He may have disappeared, but the urge to knock him senseless still lingered like a foul odor.


	17. Acceptance

"There you are."

Ventus snapped from his thoughts to find {e/c} eyes on him.

"Aqua demanded that I make sure you stay safe."

"I'm not going home." He turned to {Name}, a serious expression on his face. "I want to start over."

"Hm?"

"Whatever I did before isn't a part of me now. I want this to be a second chance."

Those same eyes flicked off to the side, swimming with some sort of inner conflict.

Anxiety clenched his heart.

Finally, she met his gaze, mimicking his serious expression. "I'll trust you, Ventus."


	18. Aggravation

Vanitas could sense that the negativity was slowly draining from {Name} as he watched her follow his other half through Radiant Garden.

Months of careful nurturing, molding her darkness into something useful, was simply evaporating before his very eyes.

It was almost as if he hadn't even existed to the girl, and that stung much worse than the loss of his progress.

Two Bruisers formed behind him, twitching with anticipation of battle.

With a snap of his fingers the Unversed were off to attack the oblivious pair.

He wouldn't let her slip from his grasp without a fight.


	19. Malice

Why did those Unversed attack you?

You were friends with Vanitas, right?

You stopped your search for Ven to rest in an alley between two buildings.

"Sorry for the rough treatment, but I had to get you away from that traitor." There stood the dark enigma, arm holding the helm to his hip.

"What?"

You were pinned in place by his predatory stare.

"I overheard him telling Aqua how he couldn't wait to obliterate you in front of Eraqus."

It felt like your heart had dropped into your stomach.

Ventus wouldn't do that, would he?

Vanitas smirked.


	20. Faith

Wait, why would Ventus say that?

He refused to return home.

His serious face flashed in your mind, honesty blazing in his eyes as he demanded redemption.

Why go to all of that trouble just to end up like before?

You forced your uncertainty back. "I don't believe you."

The smirk fell from Vanitas' face.

"Ventus wouldn't do that. Not after all the trouble I put him through."

"You're going to believe that traitor? After I was there for you before he decided to play nice?" Hurt underlined his flat tone.

"What other choice do I have?"


	21. Woe

"I'm sorry."

He stood stock-still, a dark look eclipsing his face.

"Fine. Don't expect me to be there next time."

He locked the helmet in place on his shoulders and turned to leave.

You went to follow him, alarmed by his cold attitude."Vanitas, wait! We can still be friends!"

In one swift motion, he turned, aimed his Keyblade at you, and fired off two balls of dark energy.

They flew by, mere inches from your face.

He remained silent, but the message was loud and clear.

You watched him go, feeling your heart sink.


	22. Contentment

Chuckles slipped out one after the other.

You found yourself clapping along to the beat as ice cream went soaring towards the duckling triplets.

The festivity surrounding you felt reminiscent to a time before.

It was as if you had never spent nearly a year hating the boy beside you.

Your face hurt from smiling, but you ignored the ache.

For too long, had you moped about and felt sorry for yourself.

The tune finished.

Ven fist pumped victoriously, casting a smile down at you and Queen Mickey.

The past was long forgotten, at least for the moment.


	23. Love

A pair of blue eyes glanced at her, hidden beneath the visor of the helm.

He hadn't seen her like that before, smiling and laughing as if that was all she ever knew.

She didn't frown at him any more.

Her eyes held no disgust.

The thought sent Ven's heart racing with excitement.

She really had given him a second chance.

He liked this new {Name} and he wanted to keep her, even if it cost him his own happiness.


	24. Worry

"W-Wait! Ventus! Ven!"

It was useless.

The star had already zigzagged too far for you to even hope of catching up.

Peter pat your shoulder reassuringly. "Don't worry, he'll be fine!"

Worrying for the boy's safety was just the tip of the iceberg.

What would Aqua say when she found out that you had failed her?

What would she do to you if he got hurt?

What would _you_ do if he got hurt!

Giving the Lost Boys a distracted wave, you quickly left Neverland, heading for the only place you could think of; Land of Departure.


	25. Confusion

"Eraqus, stop!"

You watched Terra defend Ven from their Master, too confused to step in.

_What was going on?_

Eraqus leapt back in front of you, firing at the two.

Recovered from the blinding light, you saw Terra holding Ven's limp body.

"Ven!" You went to run past Eraqus, but he held out his blade, charging another light attack and blocking your way.

"Stay away, {Name}. This is not your place to intervene."

"Let me through, damn you!" Your cry fell on deaf ears.

You were blinded by light again.

Pain shot through your body.

Then there was darkness.


End file.
